With the worries about zebra mussels in some lakes like Lavon would releasing water from the dam (which I understand is necessary) transfer the larvae to Lake Ray Hubbard? I noticed Ray Hubbard was not on the list in the announcement of lakes found with the larvae.

Good point. After this flood, larvae will likely be spread throughout the Trinity River Basin. Then there's the Red River Basin downstream from Texoma. Texoma is currently releasing 19 cu ft per second out of Denison Dam.

Very Interesting, I never really bought into the whole thing, seem to me they were not worried as much about the lakes as they were the big water pipe line's they use to pull water from the lakes, thinking about it that is were the most problems will come from, and I know the have underwater rov but none that can run the full length of the line to clear them, and as slow as a process as it would be, the Mussels would grow back faster than they can clean them out, I guess when they started all of this they didn't think the lakes could fill up enough to have to open the gates,

So far, only Texoma has seemed to take an infestation. That lake is sufficiently different in a lot of ways from our other lakes, and I think it remains to be seen if it will happen anywhere else.

Um Ray Roberts is loaded with them. Last summer they were on every rock and piece of wood I cam across.

While I'm all for trying to prevent/control the spread of zebras as much as possible, seems like all this just kind of ruins any previous efforts made. Boaters have been all but harassed with threats of fines and citations if we do not rinse and dry our boats before we leave the ramp and/or go to another lake, not to mention possible citations for not being about to provide proof as to where we bought minnows. Now water is being released from countless lakes that have zebras so they can't blame us anymore.

Maybe they can write citations to all the Cormorants, Blue Herons and ducks while they at it.Seems all these lakes with infestations of zebra mussels are also infested with blue cats. Every Blue I have caught this year had a belly full. Felt like a belly full of gravel. Everything has an up side I guess.

_________________________
Infidel and proud of it.

From Genesis: "And God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the earth."

Then He made the earth round...and He laughed and laughed and laughed!

Same with the invasive aquadic plants that get spread by wildlife from one body of water to the next.I think the efforts are with good intentions but they know they won't work, and it's just to make people feel good for the time being that at least we are doing something to try to stop it.

If you talk to people from up north, they have nothing but good things to say about their effects on the fishery.

Seems to me they are only bad for people that leave their boats in the water and pipeline operators and municipal water services

There are a lot of other factors that play into this that stem from zebra muscles. The muscles themselves don't help the fishing; its that feeds on the muscles that is helping so much. I believe what has made many of the northern lakes a better fishery is the round goby that feeds on the zebra muscles. Bass target the gobies which has helped the bass and walleye populations and sizes in many of the larger lakes up north. Particularly the smallmouth and walleye populations and sizes have gotten much better because of the large amount of gobies that are available.

Most of the articles are based on either the Great Lakes or lakes up around there. I cant find much information on smaller lakes that have been effected other than just information around preventing the spread of them across the US.

I think it would be interesting to see what could happen on lakes like Texoma and Belton if there were zebra mussels and round gobies in them like there is in the great lakes. Smallmouth fishing could be amazing!! Wouldn't it be nice to be able to block off these lakes and create amazing fisheries without harming the lakes downstream.

I don't know if they are good or bad, but they don't seem to be hurting the fish. At this point, its impossible to prevent them any further, just try to control them and even that doesn't seem like its going to help much.

Good point. I would guess that when the zebra mussels get into a river chain, the whole length of the river is eventually going to be contaminated.

Indeed that is likely the case,

a coupla things.....

At some point it will be too hot for zebra mussels and they won't be able to expand their range beyond that point, even with our help. I believe that point (or line) to be somewhere close to I10.

"It" is not about zebra mussels, it, is about control.

A TPWD biologist responsible for working with zebra mussels, when asked in a public meeting, "We all understand that all we can do is slow down the advance of the zebra mussel, when it has advanced to all points across the state, as with the tilapia, will these rules still apply?"